3 Hawaii-born players win NCAA women’s volleyball national championship with Texas
Texas’ strange brew produced a special outcome.
An experiment — the addition of 11 new volleyball players in 2022 —paid off in a big way as the Longhorns swept Louisville in the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball championship match in Omaha, Neb., on Saturday.
Two of those newcomers, and three Texas players overall, hailed from the Aloha State and all three played a role in the 25-22, 25-14, 26-24 outcome at CHI Health Center.
It was Texas’ third national championship in the sport in nine title game appearances.
Defensive specialist Keonilei Akana, a Kamehameha alumna who transferred from Nebraska this season, won it on an ace after serving the last three points for the Longhorns, who trailed 24-22 in Set 3 after an 8-2 Cardinals run.
